New Guinea impatiens plant named `Miami`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Miami`, characterized by its numerous large red purple-colored flowers that are held above the foliage; uniform and rounded growth habit; medium plant height; freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit; and glossy, dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Miami.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop varieties with good branching, uniform androunded growth habit, medium height, early flowering, floriferousness,bright flower color, and large round flowers.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the NewGuinea Impatiens selection identified as K 127, not patented, as themale, or pollen parent, with the nonpatented New Guinea Impatienscultivar Hongkong as the female, or seed parent.

The cultivar Miami was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1994as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in acontrolled environment in Stuttgart, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atStuttgart, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Miami`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Miami` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Numerous large red purple-colored flowers that are held above thefoliage.

2. Uniform and rounded growth habit.

3. Medium plant height.

4. Freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit.

5. Glossy, dark green leaves.

Compared to plants of the male parent, the salmon pink selectionidentified as K 127, plants of the new Impatiens differ in flower color,are more compact, more uniform, more upright, and have larger and moreround flowers. Compared to plants of the female parent, the violetcultivar Hongkong, plants of the new Impatiens have a lighter flowercolor, are more uniform, have larger leaves, and have larger and moreround flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens are similar in flower color to plants of thenonpatented New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Kampala. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of thenew Impatiens have a slightly lighter flower color, larger flowers andmore uniform plant growth than plants of the cultivar Kampala.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographcomprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of `Miami`. Flowerand foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actual colorsdue to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Miami have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Stuttgart,Germany, under greenhouse and outdoor production practices.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Miami.

Commercial.--New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Miami.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as K 127.

Female parent.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Hongkong, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate and develop roots.--About 16 days.

Plant description:

Crop time (precocity).--From rooted cuttings to flowering, about 80 to90 days are required.

Plant form.--Uniform and rounded growth habit, plants appear almostspherical; upright yet spreading.

Growth habit.--Moderately vigorous. Freely branching, dense and bushygrowth. Appropriate for 10 to 25-cm containers.

Plant size.--Height, about 15.5 cm; spread, about 27 cm.

Lateral stems.--Quantity: About 10 basal branches; each basal branchwith about 2 lateral stems. Length: About 15.5 cm.

Foliage description.--Medium-sized leaves; simple, generallysymmetrical, moderate in quantity, opposite or in whorls, usually flat.Shape: Oblong-lanceolate; margin, shallow serration. Texture: Smooth,glossy. Color: Upper surface: A mixture between 136A and 147A; venation,145C. Lower surface: 148D, venation, main veins, 181C, and lateralveins, 146B. Petiole length: About 2 cm.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Large red purple-colored flowers. Early andfreely flowering; usually about 30 flowers per plant. Single flowersarranged in clusters arising from leaf axils. Flowers positioned abovethe foliage and face upward and outward. Flower shape is rounded.Flowers not persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In thegarden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower longevity.--About 10 to 14 days on the plant; about 1 to 2 daysas a cut flower.

Flower size.--Diameter: About 6.5 cm. Depth: About 1.4 cm.

Flower buds.--Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 78B.

Petals.--Quantity: Five. Shape: Cordate with acute base and entiremargin. Texture: Satiny, smooth. Color: Fully opened, upper surface: Redpurple, 74A; base or "eye", 46B. Color may fade slightly with subsequentdevelopment. Fully opened, lower surface: A mixture between 74B and 74C.

Sepals.--Three, lower sepal spurred. Color, lateral sepals: Inside:138C. Outside: 148B. Color, spurred sepal: Inside: 65B. Outside: Center,53A; surrounding area, 65B.

Peduncles.--Length: About 3.8 cm. Angle: About 45° to stem. Strength:Very stiff, strong. Color: Red-brown.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused,filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Pollen color: Cream. Gynoecium:Five-loculate fused. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Green.Stigma color: Cream.

Fruit.--Green, pulpy explosive capsule.

Seed.--Brown, about 2 to 3 mm in length.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, good resistance toBotrytis has been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named `Miami`, as illustrated and described.